Green fingered horticulture student Francis Mulholland, from Greenmount Campus has won the Young Horticulturist of the Year Ireland regional final

Francis Mulholland, a student from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise - Greenmount Campus, winner of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture Young Horticulturist of the Year Ireland Regional Final.

Share

Get daily updates directly to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email

Budding horticulturist Francis Mulholland has won the Ireland Young Horticulturist of the Year award and a place in the grand final in England this weekend.

The green-fingered College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise student from Toomebridge will now go forward to battle it out with seven other regional winners at the final for the Chartered Institute of Horticulture’s Young Horticulturist of the Year.

Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill said she would be rooting for Francis to win the overall title. She said: “I am delighted that Francis has won the all Ireland final and wish him every success for the grand final in Somerset.

“I am confident he will do us all proud in the final.

“I hope this also highlights to other students the exciting opportunities that horticulture has to offer as a career and also the excellent teaching provided by our CAFRE staff.”

Francis had to answer 45 tough questions from a variety of subject areas including plant identification and pest and disease recognition in the regional final.

If he wins the grand final, Francis will receive the £2,500 Percy Thrower Travel Bursary.

Francis said: “I’m so pleased to get this far but it would be fantastic if I won the final as the bursary would a allow me to travel anywhere in the world to further my horticulture knowledge.”

Paul Mooney, Head of Horticulture Education at CAFRE Greenmount campus said: “Francis has always showed great horticultural talent with both industry experience and academic excellence.

“Whilst completing the Level 3 Extended Diploma he received awards for Best Plant Person and Landscape Design Project work in his final year.

“We are very proud of him and wish him every success in May.”

The prestigious annual competition sees over 2000 student entries every year. The final will be hosted on 9 May at the National Trust’s Barrington Court in Somerset.